In this essay, I was asked to describe who I though the greatest hero was in "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest J. Gaines.

A Hero in A Lesson Before Dying Throughout the course of the novel, Jefferson, at first lacking all signs of heroism, ‎makes the changes needed in order to become the hero he is. According to Grant, a hero ‎must be selfless, or willing to do anything to better the lives of the ones he loves. He ‎must also be willing to stand up for himself as well as his peers. Because of this, this hero ‎…

…of a hero at all in the ‎beginning of the story, by the end he has matured into a man, but a hero as well. By doing ‎various things for his mother, like eating her gumbo, acting like a man, and ‎communicating with his visitors, Jefferson proves that he is a hero. Although Jefferson is ‎a fictitious character, he is great example for us today because he made a difference even ‎in that little town.‎